Do You Have an Extra $14,000???

United States
November 9, 2016 12:23pm CST
I'm probably crazy to even ask this question but I can honestly say I don't have an extra $14,000 laying around. Do you? The reason I ask is this. My son in law was diagnosed recently as bipolar. He was hospitalized for a short time and they put him on a medication called Latuda. I knew nothing about this medication but have seen many commercials for it but never paid much attention until he was prescribed it. The hospital called in a prescription for Latuda to our local pharmacy and for almost a week now it's been a hassle trying to get the insurance company to give authorization for the drug. After days of battling back and forth with the pharmacy my daughter asked how much it would cost if they paid out of pocket. For a one month prescription (30 pills) the out of pocket cost would be $14,000! I almost fell off my chair when she told me. No wonder the insurance company is resisting covering this. I find it totally outrageous that this drug (and I'm sure so many others) are being prescribed yet insurance companies are resisting covering it. I guess the end result is that my son in law won't be able to continue with a drug that is helping and will probably have to use some generic one that might not work as well just for the money. Have you ever been in a situation like this?
18 people like this
10 responses
@Happy2BeMe (99390)
• Canada
9 Nov 16
That is so crazy and unacceptable. No medication should ever cost that much. There must be something that they are prescribe that is reasonably priced. I can't even believe that. I don't know too many insurance companies who would cover it.
5 people like this
@Happy2BeMe (99390)
• Canada
10 Nov 16
@Marilynda1225 it just isn't right.
@much2say (53944)
• Los Angeles, California
9 Nov 16
That is completely insane! That's over $450 per pill - how can they justify that? And surely with so many others needing that, how can anyone afford that - that's a lot for even insurance to cover. It makes me so mad that it seems to be all about money rather than helping people.
2 people like this
@yukimori (10143)
• United States
9 Nov 16
No kidding. It's such a damn racket. They really need to make healthcare a universal right in this country, or at least make it illegal for the companies to charge such an extortionate amount for it. They get away with it at first because of the patents... if nobody else is making a generic version, they can't be undersold.
2 people like this
@much2say (53944)
• Los Angeles, California
10 Nov 16
@yukimori The cost of healthcare here is nuts. And what a crime to set such a high price for much needed meds - its more than college tuition! I hear the cost to make these pills and such is so low . . . it's sick how they price gouge like this!!
1 person likes this
@yukimori (10143)
• United States
10 Nov 16
@much2say And then they say that it has to do with all the research that goes into them... that may be the case, but things like this should be a universal right. It's not right to withhold something like that that's necessary for a person to live a good, stable life.
1 person likes this
@marsha32 (6631)
• United States
10 Nov 16
I never even paid attention to what Latuda is for....we just tend to make fun of the name of it when the commercial is on. At one time the insurance didn't want to pay for my nose spray and the pharmacy said it was $208. I thought that was bad enough. I wonder where they come up with it being that much...or why it is that much!!
1 person likes this
• United States
10 Nov 16
I think Latuda is fairly new but it's mostly for depression and bipolar
@hostessman (11871)
• Tucson, Arizona
9 Nov 16
never have leen there but it is stupid they want so much for them
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (73725)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
9 Nov 16
Thank heaven never been in such a situation. I sure hope you can find a better solution. You got me interested in this problem and so I found this online. There are other sites like this. I don't know if it can help but take a look.
Click here to learn about support and copay savings information
1 person likes this
• United States
10 Nov 16
Thanks so much for this site. I definitely will check it out
1 person likes this
@DianneN (247191)
• United States
9 Nov 16
Oh, my, Marilyn! I've yet to be in this position, but hope the insurance company can work something out. I'm so sorry and find it unethical and deplorable.
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
9 Nov 16
I would certainly not claim to have a SPARE £14000, but would be able to pay for the treatment if it became necessary.
1 person likes this
@chiwasaki (4694)
• Philippines
10 Nov 16
Bipolar mood disorders? The medication is quite expensive. No, it's really expensive. I hope he is okay.
1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (49130)
• United States
10 Nov 16
That is unbelievable. The pharmaceutical companies should be ashamed. That should also be criminal.
1 person likes this
@Lucky15 (37346)
• Philippines
9 Nov 16
converting it to peso, i was like, no way..what is on those pills?!
1 person likes this